The Kindness of Others

This year we celebrate the 99th mint harvest in my family. It’s a small harvest, however, it is a harvest. If you had asked me on August 28th of last year, I would have told you it was probably the end of an era. With that in mind, this is a perfect time to say how the kindness of the human spirit assisted in reclaiming my family farm. It was an almost three-year time span, which I now often refer to as my profound breakdown & my more profound breakthrough.

I am dedicating this post to my father, J.E. Crosby. If still living, he would wisely remind me how the “kindness of others” was the thread that pulled us through the labyrinth; how the support and feedback of people who genuinely believed we could do it, became our strength; and how our farm employees and volunteers worked tirelessly, never wavering as if were their own land was slipping away from under their feet. They asked for nothing in return but the farm and friendship.

More importantly perhaps is the connection to something larger that I am grateful; for this full circle journey back to the farm where I was born, for family, for friends, for community, and for a somewhat urgent nudge from my Creator to remind me to pay it forward, to love, to teach, to communicate and to listen.

Thank you for listening and responding to the call for support! I am eternally grateful beyond words which may be the reason these thoughts were so difficult to release. I now understand the poem, “Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye. A part of it reads “What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully saved, all this must go so you know how desolate the landscape can be between the regions of kindness.”

The following list seems forever and endless, reflecting my love and gratitude to all of you…

happy feet and hands

Family:

• Jeffrey & Mary Dunn (sadly, my step dad of 29 yrs passed a few months before we reclaimed the farm)

• Kevin & Liz Washo

• Don & Kathleen Crosby

• Mark, Karen, Tyler, & Jacob Crosby

• Larry & Joyce Crosby

• Bob, Ginger, Bobby, Paul, & Michael Crosby

• Karen Mazzolini

• The Donald Mazzolini Family

• Brunetta Mazzolini Graham

• Joseph & Frances Mazzolini

• Jeff & Elaine Kubach

• Ron & Ellie Luchini

• Leon Harris & family

• Barbara Bullard & Alice

• Joe & Marilyn Armbrustmacher

• The Sinicropi Family

Employees & Family

• Lori Mack Bottorff

• Cameron Heller

• Kellie Strouse

• Randy Strouse

• Mitchell Strouse

• Randie Robert Strouse

Farm Volunteers & Connections:

• Pat Thomas – “Expect Miracles!” creator

• Lilian Kooijman

• Dawn Pizzoferrato & Arrow

• David Pizzoferrato

• Laura Pizzoferrato

• Scott Curtis & Homer

• Tony Medina & Isobella

• Jeff Chambers

• Michael Jorae & Daisy

• Bob & Jennifer Etherton

• Brian & Nancy Simcox

• Beverly Archer & Larry

• Joel & Elissa (Munger) Ryan

• Mark & Cheri Smith

• Nicki Hall

• Dottie Feighner

• Jim & Diane Lott

• Terry & Veronica Ulrich

• Jane Cassler & Dave

• John & Erica Marsden

• Nicole & Corey Badgley

• Chelsea Hall

• Lee Purdy

• John Hooper

• Casey Williamson

• Keith Hewitt

• Rick Hewitt

• Mrs. Hewitt

• Kris Zawisza

• Dylan Frantz

• Logan Frantz

• Jim Casha

• Jim Schultz

• Mary Irwin

• Ken Frantz & Valerie

• Matt & Jessie Yonkovit

• Sandy Brandt

• Victoria Ferrantelli

• Brandon Tosto

• Les Ward

• Kody Peters

• Travis Peters

• Pam & Jody Peters

• Nancy & Dick Armstrong

• Matthew Ryan Smith

• Jeff Davis

• Chef Nick

• Ben Swanchera & family

• Pat Nitz & family

• Nate Hansbarger

• Bill Morris

• Pat Bunting

• Vicky Marsden Lowe

• Merry Harshey

• Geno Clark

• Sharissa Fitzpatrick

• Ellen Melody

• Ted Dachtler

• David & Pat Lewis

• Tim Schaub & Mary

• Charlie Ploughman

• David Chambers

• Law Jackson

• Cheryl Warren

• Stu Fitzpatick

• Patrick Melody

• Noel E. Chaney

• Laura Belanger Davidson

• Tamara Sutton

• Brian, Barb, & Kevin Horton

• Bob & Joyce Worthington

• Mike & Janet Sinke

• Alan & Kris Stehlik & Family

• Byron Williams

• Chef Rajeev Patgaonkar

• David Egar

• Darrin Higgins

• Clara Kurncz

• Jay Henning

• Bob Paksi

• Dean Hufnagel

• Jean Clark

• Carol Miller

• Steve Newhall

• Linda Klinda

• Linda Reis

• Phil Rhoby

• Bob Hunter

• Patrick Melody

• Jenny Gotts

• Karen Wright

• Tom Butters

• Luann Heller

• Mark Heller

• Jordan Parker

• Dion Puzon, Jr

• Chris Wheeler

• Jeff & Lorraine Wellman

• Laura Lee

• Sue DeLage

• Emily MacBeth

• Noel E. Chaney

• Keisha Sackett

• Lisa & Doug Hauser

• Kelly Stoddard Soper

• Randy Dollarhite

• Richard Swaggart

• George (Junior) Higgins, deceased

Legal :

• Daniel Kraft

• Malcolm McKinnon

• Robert McCarthy

• Bill Jonke

• Karl Bonhoff

• Jerry Goldberg

Public Relations & Media:

• Kim Miller

• Laura Pizzoferrato

• Bob Alexander

• Michael Masterson

• Craig Limpach

• Kim Miller

• Robert Ditmer, Jr

• Katherine Albrecht

• Ray Masterson

• Catherine Austin Fitts

• Walt Sorg

• Donna Marie Coles

• Teri Van Hall

• Ellen Melody

• Kevin Lavery

• Mark Bishop

• WKAR

• Clinton County News

• Sue Lounds

• Independent News

• Wendy Ward

• Locale Magazine

• Owosso News

• Rob Krol

• WMLM

• Detroit News

• Lansing State Journal

• WLNS

• WILX

• Tim Barrons

Business Support:

• Postal Connections, St. Johns

• Westwind Milling Co

• Jet Speed Printing

• Soy Bean Candle

• R Candy’s

• Shaggies Ice Cream

• Earthy Delights

• Cici’s Pizza, Flint

• Clinton County Arts Council

• Clinton County Chamber of Commerce

• Frantz Honey

• Lansing City Market & all the vendors!

• Village Herb Associates

• Michigan Herb Associates

• Michigan Tape

• edibleWow Magazine

• Coaches Restaurant

• Treasure Chest

• Henry Ford Health Services

• Pure Herbs, LTD

• Superior Grower’s Supply

• Home Harvest Garden Supply

• Big Boy Restaurant of St. Johns

• Walgreen Drug

• Organic Producer Magazine

• Annabelle’s Pet Station

• St. Johns Mint Festival

• Green Street Fair Festival

• Art in the Park Festival

• Living Foods, Lansing

• Green Breeze Fair

• MSU Extenstion Office

• Juan Marinez

• Dave Ivans

• Marilyn Thelen

• Joann Benjamin

• SARE – North Central Region

• Waste Management

• Jon’s R Us

Mint Jam 09:

prep –

• Jeff Chambers

• Michael Jorae

• Brian Simcox

• Dylan Frantz

• Bill Reeves

poets & storytelling-

• Susan Walker

• Claudia Cooper

• Diane Borsenik

• John Burroughs

• W.B. Burkholder

• Carla Dodd

• Heather Schmidt

• Carlton Smith III

• Christina Brooks

Musicians –

• Mark Duval

• Solid Group Band

• Robert Bradley

• Ben Hassenger

• Brenda Loomis & The Blue Coyote Band

• Mint City Jammers

• Juan Cruz

• Bob Etherton & UFO

• Peter Trappen

• Juan Cruz

Bloggers & Voices:

• Christine Berry

• David Morgan

• The Truth Brigade

• Christie Czajkowski

• The Henning Family

• Sandy Hinden

• Mike Shane

• Tom Bloomer

• Katie Asher

• Kimberly Lord Stewart

• Karen Costly

• Larry DiVizio

• Robb & Kate Harper

• Moratorium Now!

• Lorraine Wellman

• Connie Baum

• State Rep. Paul Opsommer

• Senator Hansen Clarke

• John Czarnecki

• Jean Irwin

• Cheryl Warren

• Dave Seagraves

• Jim McDonald

• Linda MacDonald

• Michelle Phaup

My Landmark & SELP Community:

• John Mitchell

• Victoria Ferrantelli

• Margie Brace

• Julie Dankovich

• Kathy Humphrey

• Emily Roth

• Bill Jonke

• Mary Broderick & Alex

• Al Clark

• Debby & John Montague

• Gjovana Skrela

• Lena McFadden

• Kirk Gee

• Mark Duval

• Sue Baldock

• Les Ward

• Jose Gonzales

• Paul Boes

• Wendy Scherer

• Atour Mirza

• Angela Lopez

• Dave Sanders

• David McCoon Abramson

• Joe Leibson

• Pat Westerhold

• Kerrie Kelly

• Kevin Johnson

• Ravi Koorapati

• Dorit & Shimon

• Candace Tate

• Paula Bird

• Regina Jemison

• Michael Schultz

• Tim O’Brian

• George Djurowski

• Russ Collins

• Nitzana York

• Tyler Erel

• Mickye Mathis

My Vineyard Family:

• Sandy Buza

• Father Pete

• Mary Ann Chery

• Phyl Madziar

• Julie Davis

• John & Della Seeley

Donations in the mail:

• Susan Perroud, Knoxville TN

• Doris Miller, Lansing MI

• Michael Lifsey, Diamondale MI

• John & Kathy Thomas, Elsie MI

• Tess McKay, Seattle WA

• Brooke Bleicher, Lansing MI

• Catherine Rozanski, Rochester Hills MI

• Linda Luke, Belleville, MI

• Dawn Henry, Oak Park MI

• Vera Wood, Lansing MI

• SOS Community Services, Ypsilanti MI

• David & Rebecca Poe, Lansing MI

• Kathel & James, Bedford MI

• Carol Siemon, East Lansing MI

• Brooke Bleicher, Lansing MI

• Victor & Carolyn Januszewski, Grand Rapids MI

• T Sean & Maureen O’Connor, East Lansing MI

• Elizabeth Niman, Chandler AZ

And many thanks for the thousands of orders throughout the United States and other countries. Thank you for caring enough to call, to offer guidance, direction, advice, and contact information. Thank you to all my friends on facebook who created a space and touched my life in Michigan, Pennsylvania and beyond.

To my brother, Jim…”love your peppermint” forever!

my western flyer & 1111